Mercedes AMG Engine Nightmare: Incorrect Repair Causes Disaster

How incorrect repair can make things go terribly wrong. Just because it can bolt together doesn’t mean it will work. A cracked crank and a ruined block.
Follow us on all social platforms:
/ davesautocenter
/ davesautocenter
/ davesautocenter
For Business Inquiries Contact:
[e-mail]
www.davesautor...

[@panzeralienofficial]

People that can disassemble and re-assemblé an entire engine have my deepest respect. It requires so much skill.

[@admranger]

Anyone with a set of wrenches can do it. However, doing it right is the difference in skill (and knowledge) levels between a little league baseball player and a MLB all star.

[@panzeralienofficial]

@@admranger Taking it apart is the easy part. Assembling, diagnosing, machining, solving, and putting it back together is anti-easy. Many mechanics can not do it if their life depended on it.

[@fukhue8226]

Actually it takes a lot of common sense. A good engine builder knows to come in out of the rain (like these guys). A bad engine builder drinks beer in the rain. Who do you want putting your motor together? I built a few when I was younger. I didn't know what I was doing but I did torque everything to spec and I checked the Crank rotation for smoothness and rotated the engine after every piston/rod install. I know that is not a good test and I should have done a squash test on the bearings. But at 18 and your just refreshing an old motor to increase performance and stop some oil leaks you don't worry about fine details. Not to mention 60's and 70's motors were very forgiving as long as you didn't do anything stupid. Like complete assembly and starting the engine without checking the rotation for smoothness and double checking the Mechanical timing of the engine. I never had a failure on my 1962 Ford 170ci, my 1961 235ci Blue Flame Chevy or my 1972 350ci Chevy. I would hate to work on these over priced, overrated junk engines. I would rather fix Trash Compactors!

[@rich8037]

There's engines and engines. I've done basic four-bangers on my kitchen floor with a very basic set of tools and got it back together for many years of trouble-free driving, but a big high-performance V12 like this is a whole different league.

[@rikin6912]

Problem here is the businesses are simply ripping the customers off just because they can. NO ENGINE SHOULD COST THIS MUCH FOR REBUILD OR REPAIRS...EVERRRRRRR its just pure greed....Mercedes is the king of greed. Heck Porsche is cheaper and better performance.

[@kenwright5718]

I spent most of my life in the repair industry, including 38 years as a shop owner. I wish I could have found a machine half as good as his. Dave and his men are amazing.

[@GroovesAndLands]

I'm a powertrain engineer and a DIY builder/machinist/mechanic. Dave's shop is top f'n flight.

[@PeterHernandez-lg2eh]

I'm just a 71 year old retired lineman diyer trying to save money in Tax tipoff state of CT

[@ronaldtentschert6876]

Totally agree.

[@GroovesAndLands]

@@PeterHernandez-lg2eh I grew up in CT; in a town named after a certain tick-borne disease. Dad moved us TF out of there after starting his own business and the need to get out from the oppressive taxes.

[@sorinsrn5442]

Yep, masters at what they do...

[@JamesWilkison]

If I was a mechanic, I would have worked for free to apprentice under Dave & his shop. Dave is such a perfectionist and loves to do things right.

[@MrMan5014]

When I was in my early 20’s, I was running an excavator building wood roads pretty far back in the bush and we lost an injection pump on the machine…an old school Cat mechanic came out to see what went wrong and he figured it was from fuel contamination…we fixed that problem and I figured he would take the injection pump off and take it back to the shop and swap it with a new one but he decided to rebuild it sitting on the machine!…I asked him “is that wise”… he said he did it all the time so here we were in the bush with mud and grease all around us, building this pump on a Saturday morning and it was quite intimidating to me and I asked him how he could handle the stress of pulling such intricate stuff apart like this in less than ideal conditions and he stopped what he was doing and looked me in the eyes and said “people are way more complicated than this pump and at the end of the day it’s just nuts and bolts so don’t stress over it”…nuts and bolts indeed!!

[@MacCready_]

Now THAT is what I call a cool story, bro.

[@steelearmstrong9616]

Lol, that’s awesome. Need more like him

[@MWL4466]

Very true. The best advice i ever got when i started machining 30 years ago was " dont think so much." Dont over-think things. Walk away from a difficult job. Even for 10 minutes. Clear your head. Have a smoke. And come back refreshed.

[@thorsrensen3162]

It looks like the shop is not doing much repair jobs, just disassembly of failed motors and the boss then telling the costumers a long story on the phone why it is impossible to repair the shitty motor on the luxary car they have purchased.

[@chargerification]

Gahahahah good story to tell

[@GS-lh2nx]

Please do a follow-up on this one when you have it figured out. This is fascinating

[@daakrolb]

Absolutely!!

[@thomasodetinape4180]

In a pure pain kinda way. You don't want to look but can't turn away LoL

[@treeless62]

Waiting for egg the follow up video(s) is like waiting for your favorite movie to come out on Blu-ray. I love your channel Dave. Your team is outstanding

[@treeless62]

*Apologies* for typos, this is an iPhone and it is super sensitive

[@beaubear6516]

Please do follow up

[@briansboucher]

you know you are the shit when the dealers send you on of their most expensive motors and asks you to fix it because they screwed it up. so glad i found this channel.

[@aaronjudt1487]

This is the kind of shop a guy DREAMS of working at. 20 years I've been a BMW technician and never before have I seen a shop run the way that every tech WISHES theirs was. You guys deserve all the respect and prosperity in the world. If I weren't up in northern Canada with a young family, I might just come and fix BMW's for ya for the rest of my life ;)

[@DavesAutoCenterCenterville]

Appreciate having your experience and good vibes on our channel! Best to you and your young family

[@C.Fecteau-AU-MJ13]

​​​@@DavesAutoCenterCenterville Hope you see this Dave... So wholesome seeing a father and son like that... The old man passing down the passion, the skills and the wisdom. The young buck honouring all the work Dad's done and proving he's worthy of respecting the legacy long into the future. Gets me a little emotional tbh. I can see why he's the apple of your eye Dave, I bet you ran a tight ship at home, just as you do at the shop there. But as my grandpa used to always tell me "the quality of a man's children say a lot about the quality of the man." And my father was one hell of a quality man. I sure do miss my Dad, I hope to be half the man he was. But just take a look at Hunter Biden vs Don jr. and the young Barron Trump for an example 😉 Had to chuck that in, just poking fun folks. I'm an Aussie and don't care about that. At all. Jokes aside, although I don't have any sons, only my daughter, (who's a very impressive young lady), I do have a lot to do with young lads in my community through my volunteer work and there's a sorely lacking culture of respect going both ways and just a little bit of encouragement can take a young man a long, long way. Worth thinking about folks. Worth thinking about.

[@rottman88]

I would be excited to have an engine built there!

[@jamesclark4]

If only they knew the difference between a flat plane crank and a cross

[@Laurelinad]

exactly. if i was 18 again i'd move over there from germany to learn as much as i possibly could

[@richardfehr1838]

I've seen this failure before. It isn't a forging defect, it's an INGOT defect. When the ingot cools, the top end of the ingot shrinks and there is a giant divot that forms. When the ingot is reduced in size by hammering it is customary to first cut part of the ingot off where the divot is. Any remaining part of the divot is hammered shut by the initial forging but sometimes the two sides don't weld themselves back together and you get what I believe are called "cold shuts". As the ingot is reduced in size more and more until it is turned into a billet, the cold shut will be there waiting right in the middle of the billet. It is pretty rare, but it can happen. I saw this happen on a giant steel flex disk produced by Leningrad Metal Works. It caused some panic as it was on a 50+ year old machine and we had to figure out it this was going to happen to all the other flex disks (24) or if it was a singularity.

[@louisvanrijn3964]

OK, if I understand well; and when the cranck is scrapped, I could saw it through. Polish the ends in the lab. See how deep the cracks are...probably 1 - 2 mm ? If it is a manufacturing defect MB should provide a new cranckshaft.

[@jackking5567]

@@louisvanrijn3964 You're not understanding op. The crank metal was effectively folded over a sunken part of the billet. That hole is within the metal still as the opposing sides never forge welded themselves together.

[@richardfehr1838]

@@jackking5567 We have different ideas on how it occurred, but I think we agree that the flaw was in the piece of metal the crank was forged from. I have difficulty blaming MB for this failure, if the crack was present but hadn't reached the surface yet, it would have passed Magnaflux.

[@gregtaylor6146]

@@richardfehr1838 - Thank you Richard, this is hugely illuminating.

[@Zfast4y0u]

@@louisvanrijn3964 was is a scratch 1mm deep on that kind of thick metal a big deal?

[@shaneapplegate1975]

I spent the last 30 years of my life figuring out how to make it work for others who couldn't. I sure wish it would have been somewhere in the shop like yours where it would have been appreciated. I always enjoy seeing how you treat and reward your employees. A virtual pat on the back cheers Dave 🍻

[@CWood91]

Pay the dealer 6k and the car breaks 20min later then they’re like “look buddy, sorry but you gotta go somewhere else”.

[@billgatesc1072]

i work at a dealer and that's how it works sadly

[@Aslan-tubenl]

​@@billgatesc1072 Well that's pretty shitty. I would ask for my money back.

[@billgatesc1072]

@@Aslan-tubenl dealer don't care, no money for you.

[@Aslan-tubenl]

@@billgatesc1072 Consumer warranty? Especially a Mercedes dealer .

[@billgatesc1072]

@Aslan-tubenl yes 4 year 50k miles after that it's on you the owner. Dealerships are the most legal form of theft.

[@braaap6292]

Not a flat plane crank, still a traditional cross plane design. The only Mercedes V8 I know of with a flat plane started in the newer AMG GT R Black Series.

[@ExtremeToTheBravest]

Yup, from what I can see, the crank has rod journals that are 90 degrees separated from each other, not 180. Certainly not a SBC 350, still not a flat plane crank. Good video still.

[@hw4075]

exactly what I was going to say, this is a M156

[@petebach7221]

Good catch.

[@Toadster250]

I was thinking the same thing but it looks like two rods go onto the same rod journal. Most V8 they are all offset to their own degree to get the firing order timed evenly between all 8 cylinders. This is probably easier to make like this and stronger than traditional V8. I was thinking a flat plane crank in a v8 would look like a 4 cylinder crankshaft basically making your v8 like two 4 cylinders tied together.

[@jaronvaughn4520]

Correct🫡

[@JesusTorres-qr1gz]

Gentleman, what an outstanding impressive, impecable and impressive amount of technical information you just put out in less than twenty minutes, at my 71 years of age and been a gas and diesel technician I felt like a kid with a new toy, my most expressive thanks to you guys for sharing it with us, CONGRATULATIONS GUYS, blessings to all of you,please keep up the good work, from the endless summer paradise Puerto Rico Jesus Torres.

[@jacobkuntflapp]

You must feel blessed to go through this with your son and how awesome and talented he is. From one father to another. Bless.

[@DavidM2002]

I worked with my Father for 30 years. It's pretty good for the kids too; so very lucky. He would come into the office many years after he quit doing productive work because he just like being there.

[@johnypitman2368]

Most men only dream of this kind of relationship with his son. When Dave's time comes he will go in peace. My father had this opportunity x3 and never took it serious. Took me decades to forgive him for squandering the chance of a lifetime. Ultimately he couldn't see his way to hand over the reins. We were in the perfect place at the right time to build a empire. Ironically dad was a master with client relations. RIP pop.

[@jacobkuntflapp]

@@johnypitman2368 time for you to show how it's done with your son.

[@macmorgan6685]

No MB dealer I know of would get involved with rebuilding an engine that required regrinding/rebalancing a crank. I saw a couple of AMG engines with flaws in the cylinder and oil consumption problems. I saw a V12 cut in half when it ingested water and hydro-locked, busted a rod! AMG V12=$100,000!

[@aramirez8427]

That crack is in line with the forging part lines..............factory defect.

[@OcRefrig]

since it's a Factory defect... shouldn't it be under warranty ?

[@joe6096]

@@OcRefrigNot after the accident in which Dave said something hit the engine. Now, of course there’s no way to prove either way if that cause the crack or not but Mercedes ain’t gonna cover didley squat under warranty after someone opened the engine up already. They ruined any chance of anything being covered by the folks in Stuttgart.

[@PonkyKong]

heat was wrong. was ruined before it was even machined.

[@jblob5764]

​@@OcRefrig It was a 2014. Its nowhere near being under warranty

[@davem5333]

The crankshaft crack should have been caught by the factory quality control system. A bad forging. MB quality reputation is greatly overrated.

[@Chris-pc2hw]

My friend you are a greasy genius! You've never worked on this engine before and you just tore it down to the block. Impressive!!!!

[@manfredtraby8900]

They should change their name from AMG to OMG.

[@burtbrooks7731]

Best comment I’ve read 😂

[@johntower64]

DELETE YOUR COMMENT I WAS ABOUT TO SAY THAT, 😡STOP STEALING INTELLECTUAL THOUGHT. Dann werde ich warten

[@nobass_stub1394]

They Did! When they put the AMG into the Pagani hehe!

[@Zero0Check5]

Lol

[@hansapanza1]

😂😂

[@GridIndustries]

When he said they have 3 used motors but they're all junk made me laugh also.So none of those blocks are any good? And a screwed forged crank from day one? lol Sounds like owning a Mercedes shop would be as lucrative as it would be a headache. The guy on the phone at that shop definitely sounds like he knows his stuff. I really like the collaboration/brainstorming you guys are doing together - two knowledgeable professionals working to solve a problem. That's the kind of group I'd like to be involved with.

[@camelface1]

Agreed. Really cool to see how much stuff I don’t know.

[@scottleggejr]

MB never 😂 clearly garbage and very very very pricey.

[@neithertwosturrr3016]

When you look at Mercedes and Lamborghini. Both of these companies have so much focus on the motor that everything else is built like shit and even then the motors are usually terribly designed for long term but designed for short term/high maintenance.

[@sl0907]

This will probably make u laugh even more. The engine in questiona here, Mercedes m156 was actually one of the more reliable performance cars they made especially the 12-14 models. Reliable by "Mercedes" standards

[@neithertwosturrr3016]

@@sl0907 😭🤣 Standards that void warranties by taking it anywhere other than mercedes.

[@Jeremy-kq5bs]

These guys that tear these engines down, then rebuild them, with skill alone, their brains work on a much higher level than the rest of us.

[@elm7666]

M156 is the first engine designed by AMG. They have known quirks but have become a legend at the same time. I have one in my 2009 E63 with 59k. Runs like a top. Good luck with the project and thanks for sharing.

[@billymania11]

To all the engine experts questing the kid on the crank. Lighten up. It doesn't change how the motor is going back together.

[@johnlocke_1]

Son, it should run fine with only 59k. HMU when you touch 150k.

[@JackAttak]

I would sure hope yours runs well with only 59k miles on it

[@RobertSmith-le8wp]

Are there any really high mile M156’s out there ? I know Mercedes used to be pretty well regarded for going high miles back in the 80’s and 90’s. One of the highest mileage vehicles I’ve ever seen was a late 70’s Mercedes 300d owned by a farmer that lived down a dirt road. At the time it had 700,000 plus miles on it and even got fantastic MPG. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was still running to this day

[@haas4262]

@@RobertSmith-le8wphighest c63 w204 I’ve seen for sale had 210k

[@robgorta6131]

Father/son knowledge is incredible. No fear of any motor coming in to tear down and fix is incredible.

[@Wargasm54]

Yeah, except they don’t know the difference between a flat plane crank and a cross plane crank 😂

[@stevensontree]

I love the dedication this shop uses. Dave could throw up his hands tell them you need a new engine. Dave takes it on as a challenge but also keeping the owner in mind by trying to keep cost down! You guys are tops the best.

[@timm4358]

You learn a lot more doing this than writing a check

[@henrymartens7486]

AMG- All Money Gone

[@Bubbles12345-cat]

It's like the BMW "M" crap. M=money. Lots of it😂💰💰💰💰💰💰

[@DanielGonzalezkyv]

Asses Morons Getme

[@Imnotyourdoormat]

BOAT is for..."Bust Out Another Thousand"...

[@Bubbles12345-cat]

@@Imnotyourdoormat BMW is also Bring My Wallet 😆😆

[@Imnotyourdoormat]

@@Bubbles12345-cat Good 1...hahaha Love that German..."Over-Engineering." Think they'd learn their lesson after the legendary Panther/Tiger Tank overlapping road wheel fiasco but....No. 'fukengruven"

[@chash7335]

That is not a "flat plane " crankshaft as the throws are at 90 degrees. The throws on a flat plane crankshaft are at 180 degrees.

[@gusbisbal9803]

isn't a flat plane 4 cylinder 90, 90, 90, 90?

[@chash7335]

Nope, it's 180, 180. Same as a flat plane V-8@@gusbisbal9803

[@77DucMon]

You are correct sir. I was going to say the same thing!

[@chash7335]

@@gusbisbal9803 Nope, a 4 cylinder engine has 180 degrees between throws.

[@BMWe-ed2tn]

@@chash7335 Crossplane is UP-DOWN-DOWN-UP , or 180 degrees out no matter if its a i4 or v8. Flatplane are UP-LEFT-DOWN-RIGHT(just for example), or 90 degrees of seperation.

[@wouterkellerman4458]

40 plus years in the game and never seen such a fantastic shop to work in. Well done!!

[@Roybwatchin]

I like watching father and son working together. Reminds me of my son and I working on cars. There's really no better mechanic team as a father and son. They both think alike and what one might miss, the other one will see it. Love it!!

[@Andre-eo9io]

NEED an update on this. This is the stuff Euro techs watch as entertainment & education on the weekend 😂 beautifully done 🙌

[@thoritsu]

Perfect example of why never to own a Mercedes. Lug bolts are the other idiocy.

[@CGoody564]

Best damned automotive shop/channel on KZbin, bar none. Love everything yall'r doing over there; can't wait to see more. Love that you're making more longer form content as well

[@weakland07]

The Car Care Nut is my fave, then this one. It's Toyo and Lexus specific.

[@chinoxSD]

Man I ain't even into shit like this but man this guy is the real deal holyfield

[@mkm44]

He’s getting a series with the History Channel supposedly coming out in the fall I think. 👍Good Luck.

[@azca.]

"yall'r" 🤡🤡🤡

[@JohnSmith-oh9ux]

Best? LMAO kid, guess you've never heard of "M539 restorations". This channel is nothing special. Especially when "mechanics" don't know difference between cross plane and flat plane crank😂😂😂

[@simonbainbridge3507]

Amazing commitment to customer service - exploring all practical options while being mindful of cost as though it were their own. No wonder people ship vehicles to Dave's shop from all over the country. Amazing customer care.

[@thomasstout6912]

Dave you are a very good and honest mechanic I've been watching your channel for a while. I ve been wrenching for 20 years you haven't been wrong yet and your very thorough with your rebuilds

[@randypeters556]

I was a partner in an equipment repair shop and had an in house machine shop for 30 years with an awesome machinist. We would take on pretty challenging jobs sometimes and most of them were successful. Occasionally there were those that we should have baled on. This AMG engine with the dollars involved and the previous repairs attempted would really make me double think about trying to correct this. Good Luck!!

[@DavesAutoCenterCenterville]

Thanks for sharing

[@alyluvsdinos]

Now this is my kinda content!! even if its a Mercedes i love to see engine breakdowns and assembly! Sucks to see someones engine need this kind of work from bad work done, but Dave and the guys will make it right!!! Let me know if you guys need an experienced CNC Machinist, id love to join the team!

[@DavesAutoCenterCenterville]

Thank you for asking! If you are interested in moving to Utah possibly, send us a résumé at [e-mail]. Appreciate you watching our channel.

[@0num4]

@pixlbunz Did you send in your resume? If not, what are you waiting for?!

[@alyluvsdinos]

@@0num4 To be honest I'm working on the logistics of moving out to Utah right now! Me and the wife recently moved down to the lower 48 from Alaska, and have been visiting/staying with family in Florida for about a year while we get things lined up on where want to settle down. Once I know we can do it comfortably, I'm sending it in! 👍👍

[@f1hotrod527]

It is amazing. All that complexity, all the cost, all the places for something to go wrong, and a simple LS pushrod V8 makes the same power, is reliable, gets better fuel mileage, is way more compact,and a farmer can build one in his barn.

[@merkabah2]

wait a 1955 engine? something doesn't sound right here. which one are you talking about? excuse my ignorance, I don't know much about e blocks.

[@f1hotrod527]

@@merkabah2 nope, LS series engine released tin the late 90’s. It’s great. Horsepower for the masses. Unlike European engines, actually engineered to run. Very compact and easy to swap. So when that Mercedes or BMW engine shits the bed after 60,000 miles you can replace with something superior.

[@RobertSmith-le8wp]

I agree completely, both small block Chevys and LS engines are fantastic. My ‘95 GMC Sierra 350 was at 430,000 miles when I sold it and it ran great. My current 2005 Silverado 5.3 has 320,000 miles and I’ve only replaced the water pump which I did myself in an hour for less than $100. Simplicity is the key. When I see a 4 cam engine with a timing chain a mile long I can only think about how much I love my “old fashioned” cam in block engine. While there’s certainly more powerful engines at that same displacement I can’t think of any other engine you can run for well over 400,000 miles without touching anything internally. I’ve had better luck with old GM trucks than any Toyota or Honda vehicle I’ve owned

[@commantrosexetlos4700]

What are you talking about? You have no clue and for sure you aint got an ls if you say that

[@DanielBenzs65AMG]

@@f1hotrod527you definitely don’t speak from experience as far as euro engines go because I’m on my 3rd w211 e class that’s well over 200k minimal running and repair costs, I grew up a gm guy I bought a c6 z06 new that I still have that collects dust in my garage cause I’m always driving my s65

[@CoyoteAUS]

It's a pleasure to see you Dave and your son working on this beast of an engine together.

[@andrewsamanthamadison3320]

Best show on the internet/tv hands down! Good hearty show with morals and values. Need more of this!

[@fpplsoftwashpressurewashin8757]

Now if we could get our nations leadership to do the same, that would be a great thing!

[@cantbegood7]

2 decent mechanics to watch at long last. Thank God still some good mechanics out there. You have done an excellent job with your son as well. Keep posting guys. Best I have seen on utube.

[@gar24407]

I admire a shop that will tackle any engine. Most shops only do the easy stuff.

[@Wargasm54]

This shop doesn’t need to be “tackling” this engine. They are in over their heads. He can’t even tell the difference between a flat plane crank vs cross plane crank.

[@robhartshorn6823]

Most shops should not be tackling any internal engine repairs.

[@ghostwrench2292]

@@Wargasm54 the guy misunderstands crossplane vs flat plane cranks - or maybe he just misspoke. Doesn't mean he can't build a good engine.

[@Wargasm54]

@@ghostwrench2292you’re certainly entitled to your opinion. This is America. But I wouldn’t trust my engine rebuild to someone that does not know the difference in fundamental engine designs. Maybe he is the world’s greatest mechanic. But I’m not gonna find out. But that’s just my opinion.

[@buckmanriver]

A tough day when a car with 2,000 miles on it needs a $65,000 engine to run right again. An insurance company would total it.

[@guzzimon61]

Sounds like the insurance company cheaped out or the tech halfazzed it. Just as likely the insurance co. said fix it cheap. They got what they paid for. If the tech did this, I hope he got his azz bounced out of there !!!

[@OtisFlint]

@@guzzimon61 Guaranteed the tech got the block and girdle, slapped the girdle on it and sold the block out the back door for a quick $10k.

[@TheTony1596]

Honestly if I were this guy I’d start talking to a lawyer, because someone fucked up and it sounded like it wasn’t him. Insurance are the ones who should be paying Dave not this guy out of pocket.

[@kennyphelps1160]

Not when the total cost of the car is $180,000 they wouldn’t

[@saxongreen78]

I could buy NINE DECENT CARS for the cost of the engine.

[@uponthemesa]

I have to stop this video 1/3 the way through just to let you know that you guys have taught me so much. I really appreciate it it. Thank you.

[@danielnogueras3506]

At this point I think financially it would just be better to walk away 😢

[@hankclingingsmith8707]

The owner is emotionally invested. Probably gonna try to sell it.make a Nicole. SOME people will spent 40k to make 100 dollars

[@BigZeus]

Yep

[@deepthinker999]

@@hankclingingsmith8707 The federal government will do it for sure, starting with the IRS. Your tax dollars at work.

[@mdb831]

It's like being truthful with your doctor. Tell the mechanic the truth up front. When we find you telling lies you immediately go into the "never service again" category.

[@buckhorncortez]

As opposed to the lies told to the customer by the mechanics...

[@mdb831]

@buckhorncortez sorry that you had scummy repair shops.

[@donovanchilton5817]

No one is wrong here.

[@halogod0298]

@@donovanchilton5817you and the customer are. I’ll never understand how you turn in your car without telling the whole story

[@jimjames6990]

I wouldnt work on a AMG. You screw it up and you pay thousands trying to repair the crap

[@HossHunsaker]

Wow… What a mess!! Dave I have no doubt your team will make it right whatever that decision ends up being! This is a fantastic video!! It shows what kind of problems there can be in your profession and I for one can appreciate your Expertise. Thank you for sharing!! Please do a follow up video on this one for us kind Sir! 😊

[@themegjake4000]

Happy Friday to Dave and his crew! Just wanted to express my admiration for all of you. I’m a 23 year old working at a ford fleet center on the maintenance rack with goals of hoping to be as much of a wizard as Dave or some of the other brilliant techs I’ve worked with since starting trade school in 2019. It’s intimidating to me I’ll admit, but even more than that I find cars and trucks and all that makes them work incredibly fascinating. I hope one day I can find a shop like Daves(especially if it has the scenery as pretty Utah) and become a valued trusted member of an amazing team trying to do right by the customers and the business.

[@GXMAN16]

The famous AMG 6.3L V8 was never a flat plane, neither are most of their engines, with exception of the recent GT Black Series.

[@ebayseller37922]

100% correct

[@brucedale4465]

But they sure are junk!

[@rafmatt1607]

​@@brucedale4465😂 and how would you know goober? Is it because you're watching one get repaired on an automotive repair channel?

[@GXMAN16]

@brucedale4465 How so? One of the best and most reliable AMG engines made, there are people with up to 200k miles in theirs. The crack in this one is some kind of freak accident. But look at the size of that crank and it's the same size as the cranks from heavy duty desiels sitting in Dave's shop. I bet you that thing would have ran with the crack in it .

[@zf4hp24]

@@brucedale4465 I own a 100K mile M156. Original head bolts, original cams, phasers, and lifters. No wear, no leaks, no problems. Did have to replace the crankcase breather. Overbuilt, hand assembled, and massively understressed.

[@JakePlisskin12]

This is better content then you would ever find on discovery channel.

[@whatcher8151]

this is how they get DISCOVERED!

[@PlymouthVT]

This is a daunting repair with major issues. But it just shows Dave's reputation in the business. If Dave can take this on you know it will be done right. And it will be expensive. Cause right always is.

[@seagullsbtn]

You can see the stress on you Dave trying to find a way to rebuild this specialty engine. I hope you find a way forward.

[@mwoodall13]

Bro, getting a box from Mercedes with all oe parts and special tools sounds like a dream come true. I’m so used to being handed dorman and a paper clip and being told to “make it work”

[@Rottieman-h6d]

I’m retired from the automotive Biz at the dealer level (GM). Today’s cars from a mechanical standpoint are so complicated it’s mind boggling.

[@kaseyc5078]

And it’s not like techs are getting smarter

@@kaseyc5078 not sure what being smart have to do with complexity. Instead of taking a day to rebuild a small block chevy, it will take days to rebuild an AMG motor.

[@abdullahal-shimri3091]

They’re designed by Chinese kids

[@michaelschnepel5000]

Yer totally agree just over engineered

[@pizzaki582]

@@kaseyc5078 Techs are getting smarter, A good Tech and i mean a Good Tech is on the sub par as a I.T specialist yet paid so much less. You have to have knowledge of Network,dianostic and mechnical knowledge. No other insdustry has so much depth. And if they do. Its specialised into one subject. For example I.T only works on computers and Plumbers work on plumbing.

[@westrotter7847]

Dave and his shop are incredible and his channel is the very best clearly the the very pinnacle of mechanical services for auto repair !!

[@golbez3794]

this is the best automotive repair channel on youtube

[@justinhartsell4418]

Hes 100% wrong about that being a flat plane crank that is a cross plane crank. On a flat plane crank the rod journals are 180 degrees out cross plane is 90 degrees. That is definitely a standard cross plane

[@quicksilver462]

I also noticed that, now how can I trust this guy to build my AMG motor if he can't tell the simple difference between cranks!?

[@justinhartsell4418]

@@quicksilver462 I feel like Dave noticed just didn't correct him on camera

[@mondavou9408]

@@justinhartsell4418 There was a weird vibe there. If Justin is correct, why did they leave that video in there? I agree with Quicksilver, it doesn't look good if he is wrong.

[@halleffect1]

i just noticed this, came here for the comment. no idea why he thought that was flat plane

[@kenkahn138]

The worst kind of COW (can of worms)

[@sotopr7]

I meen a mechanic for over 25 years and I have meet some really good tech but, DAVE is just a different breed. Love the Show and hope one day I can meet you all.

[@DavesAutoCenterCenterville]

Right on, thanks for bringing your 25 years of wisdom to this community

[@Jmatt455]

A friend of mine has an Acura with a bunch of electrical problems. He took it to 2 Acura dealers, both dealers said there was nothing they could do for him, they wouldn't even try. It's a damn shame when a dealership can't even repair their own products.

[@jblob5764]

That engine is a beautiful piece of performance engineering. Sucks to see someone cut corners and do so much damage

[@GroovesAndLands]

Nah, man. That engine is a ridiculous lump of unnecessary over-engineering. Let's not lose sight of fact it has a defective crankshaft from the factory, and the other mercedes shop checked THREE used engines to use as replacements - and all were "junk". I learned long ago to stay away from the German stuff. Yes, it's AWESOME when it's right - but keeping it right is painful AF.

[@ROVA00]

@@Begeye-bh5uxtoo bad Lexus are slow, heavy, and uninspiring. The only Lexus that is awesome is the LFA and it’s as unattainable as a Ferrari F40.

[@GroovesAndLands]

@@Begeye-bh5ux Yup. I have a 99 Lexus LS400. Sweet car...and simple by modern standards. Very serviceable, though it doesn't often need work.

[@ZENIGMATV]

It will cost you now or cost you later so might as well spend to have it done right and save the headaches.

[@Dou6.2]

its really not that bad at all if you do it right the first time.....and do it yourself to save money. The engine is very reliable. Almost 200k miles on mine daily driven for 5 years straight@@GroovesAndLands

[@JAKEaudio2]

M156 is an absolute BEAST so dont be too unkind....I have over 330k MILES on my M156 and it pulls just as hard as the day i bought it!!!! Granted-ive replaced the headbolts(engine in-one at a time for $800 INCLUDING buying the tools vs engine out at the indy shop for $13k!), ive had to pull the intake and replace the throttle body plate due to internal corrosion, replaced the cam adjuster backing plates (thank GOD for 63Motorsports!!!), alternator x1, power steering pump x1 and radiator x2....but all in all this M156/722.9 combo is about as robust and durabe as a Detroit!!! The main gripe i have had for the last 4yrs is that it is a damn 2pc block and i have that dreaded leak on the parting line that can ONLY be fixed by pulling the engine and removing the entire bottom end, just to repair a simple oil leak, are you kidding me, AMG kiss my ass for that!!!! great channel, great info, great shop....keep it up and keep the content rolling!!!

[@SurnaturalM]

It's as reliable AND as leaky as a detroit, then? 😅 (I won't talk much about my own car. If I think too much about it, it might break. Audi RS6 2018 )

[@David-yy7lb]

Mercedes Benz needs to justify why that engine cost more than a Caterpillar c15 diesel engine, Detroit, Duramax, Powerstroke ,Cummings , 632 BBC and a 598 BBF fully assembled engines with everything on it ready to drop in between the frame rails🤷🏿‍♂️

[@figgiefigueroa7372]

I got a mechanic from Turkey and he's an specialist on Amg engines. I love the Guy!!¡

[@LeroyHeeneyWine]

I love the thought process in these vids, Dave. Someone with your experience remaining so curious and humble is cool to watch doing their thing. Thanks!

[@DavesAutoCenterCenterville]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@chuckfinley3542]

Since all AMG motors are built at the factory by one tech, who puts a plaque on the motor with his name on it, I would send a card to Gunther or Hans or whoever, thanking him for installing an obviously flawed crank.

[@petesjk]

I watched a video that AMG produced, and honestly, the motor building tech seemed more like a glorified monkey with a wrench. Sure, they had better organization, memory and hands than the average person, but they were basically just given a few prepared trays and a prepared work bench full of parts and fancy tools to bolt everything together. They didn’t seem trained to inspect any of the parts.

[@madmattthehatter]

Sounds like the Kawasaki video I saw. Everything layed out and even alarms that would go off if he did anything wrong like using the wrong torque wrench. The video was basically saying he couldn't screw it up if he tried.

[@MercedesE63S-AMG]

In the video didnt they say this was a wrecked low mileage car & in the wreck the engine was damaged so somebody used the bottom half of some used engine or something like that? It is a frankenstein motor somebody slapped together. There is no way Mercedes AMG wants $65k for a new 6.2L NA engine. I would find a used one for $6-8k have it gone through by a professional shop like Renn Tech or one of the other ones to rebuild it. Hell I would seek out the guy from Legit Street Cars on here & get him to rebuild my used motor, beef it up & put one of those new VRP superchargers on it for probably half of that $65k and have double or even more than double the horsepower. 🤷‍♂️ $65k 🤣

[@ced3098]

@@MercedesE63S-AMG A used one ..in a ???? shape , early 63 had head bolt failure ... AMG V8 twin turbo have numerous rod bearing failure , make gambling with 8K is perhaps a way of life but I prefer to put my money in real engineering done by real skilled professional .

[@heikos4264]

@@petesjk i have a feeling that the 'glorified monkey' could have a better education than you... This is Germany, not the USA or China! If you don't have the 2 to 3.5 years of 'basic' education (for example as car mechanik) you don't even need to think about applying for a job at something like AMG. In the USA the student/apprentice is a customer and education is the product that is sold to him. In germany it is the opposite, for us it is an investment in the future; we put a lot of time and money into the trainees to give them the best possible opportunity to become good well paid workers and tax payers. That's why we have a way better 'properly educated' to 'just trained on the job a bit' ratio than most of the world. (education and dedication made the german industrial complex what it is today, NOT cheap russian gas) Google 'german dual apprentice system' or watch 'Dual VET - Vocational Education and Training in Germany (English)' here on YT. Maybe in the future it will save you the embarasement of GUESSING wrong every single time when the topic is a job in germany ;-)

[@ds-rz5gc]

This is what pure ownership and accountability of ones life and craft looks like. Truly dieing attributes in this world. This garage is what it is becuase of the core principles this man lives with. Nothing but respect and admiration

[@bogged2theeyeballs695]

You're a good man to even try and fix this Dave. Knowing the time consuming headache this is, most people would run a mile from a job like this. Good luck mate. 💪🤛

[@keno77]

That sucks,an AMG engine costing $65k from the dealership, I think it's expensive when they want $6500 for a long block

[@scottleggejr]

Not only that but a roughed in long block that still needs machined. BYOB!!! 😂

[@jakeruffin9433]

German engineering is a f****** joke , they build complete s*** , good engineering is durability and long lasting point blank.

[@duancoviero9759]

That's an FU price ☝🏾

[@GroovesAndLands]

Let's not forget that this one has a factory defect in the $6k crank, and the Mercedes shop it came from checked 3 used engines - all of which were "junk". JFC. I think the Kaldo owner of the car should probably just LS swap it.

[@Nightmaretyrant]

@@GroovesAndLands That's my problem with these upmarket brands, they claim superiority but then they struggle to compete with a junk yard LS or a used Coyote for performance and reliability while charging you out the wazoo. If they were actually better and you got value per dollar sure, I get it but you don't its all marketing. I'm a Merc fan btw I think they USED to make good cars pre 2000 when they made those big cutbacks.

[@omarcastro4520]

I been a technician for over 10 years now and I gotta say much love, respect, appreciation, inspirational and motivational for all the work that you and your guys do these are true masters at work man I would love to work and learn from all these guys.

[@lbeck119]

You don't need to know anything about enter mechanics but you just got a amazing lesson on honesty!

[@budstep7361]

Love seeing the internal work at the shop, thanks for sharing Dave!

[@IndependenceCityMotoring]

This is exactly why I don't mess around with German cars anymore...

[@leonardhuff3169]

Where’s the block that matches the girdle? The dealer may still have it

[@djpalindrome]

This guy and his kid are awesome in their work ethic, skill, and knowledge

[@Lexidezi225]

Damn yall got a crazy job on your hands. This is the type of stuff why I never recommend a dealership they got some flat rate hack that had no clue what he was going working on a $65k motor. That’s just madness. They have the right guy on the job now tho!! Good luck to you guys

[@VictorVargasJr-h6n]

And I thought "I" was mechanical lying inclined ..Much RESPECT to you and your crew!

[@jakethoover]

This video really drives home the how much the Ford Coyote 5.0 is such a great value. 480hp stock @7300 rpm 750 boosted.

[@billymania11]

2023 Mustang GT 6 speed here. FTW!

[@ghostwrench2292]

Coyote's love boost! I've seen over 950whp on an ESS boosted Coyote on E85 with stock block.

[@josephoram5118]

The title of just Mercedes with that thumbnail made me laugh so hard

[@hugoniggletz.5549]

Hey, Dave, great channel! I've been an audi tech for 15 years. You are very inspirational, thank you!

[@Ultrajamz]

The old WW2 war poster of “when you drive a german car you ride with hitler” still rings true to me in a way 😂 (edit: I think it was a gas-saving ad about not ride sharing, close enough)

[@Flexible_photon]

I can't believe the amount of expertise and skill you guys have.

[@hg6996]

AMG used to be an independent company which was focused on tuning Mercedes cars. They earned such a good reputation in doing so that Mercedes finally decided to buy them. Today all the high performance Mercedes are called AMG. Nice video! Greetings from the Stuttgart area, Germany!

[@jims.3987]

So basically you're saying Mercedes ruined AMG? lol

[@hg6996]

@@jims.3987 based on what are you drawing this conclusion?

[@fastfox851]

That's definitely not a flat plane crankshaft, the crank pins are 90 degrees apart from each other. If that were a flat plane crankshaft the pins would be 180 degrees apart. Otherwise, great vid guys!

[@GXMAN16]

Correct, you don't gotta be an engine builder or a mechanic to know how few and far between flat plane engines are. Mercedes only made a flat plane V8 in the most recent AMG GT models including the GT Black Series, most other AMG if not all especially the C63s never came with a flat plane. And that's 6.3L NA V8, those cylinders are massive.

[@rogerhenry3481]

It kinda cringe to hear that gross bit of ignorance.

[@fastfox851]

@@rogerhenry3481 I 100% agree, he may know his shit when it comes to machining and whatnot but when he said that was a flat plane crank I like you cringed a Lil bit because you'd figure that he would know the difference.

[@ingresswizard9044]

Exactly they don't know what they are talking about. Also this motor DID NOT COME FROM A MERCEDES DEALER. An official Mercedes dealer would never ever send a motor out to a 3rd party. No way.

[@samte4672]

so Mercedes cant fix their own stuff but dave can 😂🤣it says a lot !! great video as always 👍

dealers outsource engine and trans usually. Or just install new motors and trans.

[@partymanau]

Had an air con compressor problem. Traced it to the control solenoid, a common fail on that particular variable stroke compressor. Asked the Benz dealer to change the solenoid. He said no, they would swap out the whole compressor. He said they weren't trained to do the solenoid. (1 electrical plug, 1 circlup then a regas). Stay away from the dealer shops, go to the privateers.

[@andyorr1597]

Mercedes is a manufacturer. They make money selling what they make. They leave the deep dive repairs to the people that will eventually buy the stuff they make.

[@HarveyWallbanger-ho2cq]

The motors are computer designed with AI and the techs are just shaking their heads

[@douglasjre]

"We've got three used motors and they're all junk." Says it all about Mercedes😂

[@sweatyxm0]

I'm 13 wanting to become a mechanic and so far this is the only channel that has provided information that is true so thanks for the good and detailed videos

[@brianhook2108]

Want to learn a lot about engines go watch Steve morris. Coming from a mechanic of 22 years. Good luck kid hope your successful the trade needs young blood who want to learn

[@JS-oz3zf]

Precision transmission and I do cars are also great resources on KZbin.

[@sweatyxm0]

thx for the good advice I will look into it @@brianhook2108

[@sweatyxm0]

thx i will look into it@@JS-oz3zf

[@DavesAutoCenterCenterville]

Good to hear from someone so young! I have no doubt you will go far in your life, as you're already seeking knowledge👏👏

[@edgarsantos8030]

That’s an M156, cross plank crank, 6.2L engine. Super reliable motor and this rarely happens. Incase anybody wants to say AMG is trash, I have a c63 with 170k original miles

[@Thelategreatjohnnybratton]

Me too My C63 AMG was a gem. Bought it in 2008, sold it in perfect condition at 110,000 miles. Bought another AMG

[@dennisschmitter7310]

Ex Mercedes tech here. Went independent and ive seen seen and worked on several of these engines. Amazing power and so smooth. But, ive discovered on a few oil pressure issues. Usually satrts with cam phaser codes. They can be replaced. Then, its timing chain rattle on cold start. They have a tsb for that also. I have found the problem to be with an oil pressure solenoid bypassing to much oil combined with lack of maintenance.

[@godsavemefromgenZ]

What’s the most reliable MB motor you’ve worked on? The old 4.7 and 5.5 V8 any good?

[@jevgeniardassov]

In Europe You cannot buy parts for AMG engine, you can only buy a New Engine… And a AMG 65, V12 biTurbo will set you back 97k … 😳

[@onemoredeadman]

Ah the Three Pointed Suppository causes pain again

[@deeremeyer1749]

"$65,000 block" being "built" in an empty shop by two tools just zipping it apart with zero manuals but concern about "oil pump timing". And don't know how anyone can "get bearings in" without "taking it apart" including removing the cylinder heads. Yep. Junior is definitely the one to "figure it out".

[@SnakeWilsken]

Very smart taking those pictures. Always nice seeing perspectives

[@DavesAutoCenterCenterville]

Thanks 👍

[@Justin_lucas_]

There is no doubt in my mind you guys will get this engine running again. Thanks for sharing!

[@DavesAutoCenterCenterville]

You bet!

[@hgbugalou]

Man Dave's crew and shop is elite dealing with things like this. This is big time money and complexity. It's amazing to watch them work.

[@Big_Island_Boi]

Cars have become WAY too complicated. Just because you can design something on a computer doesn't mean you should build it and put it in vehicle. Somebody has to build it... somebody has to be able to service and repair it. And those somebody's are human beings... who don't have the memory or the computational power of a modern computer. We don't need cars that produce 500, 600, 700 hp and go 200+ mph. That's just insane--and should have been made illegal decades ago. We need cars that are reliable and affordable and energy efficient.

[@halseyknox]

And be able to work on them yourself....just like Fords, Mopar, and Chevys from the 60's and 70's.....hell even 4.7 in my tundra is user friendly compared to this over the top piece of crap. All the cars I mentioned still get you from point A to point B

[@robertbell525]

My son has a fiero and in the owners manual are sections about fixing and maintaining it yourself. Radio shack products used to have a schematic. It was nice back when things were made to last and were serviceable.

[@amazoidal]

Electric cars are much less complicated. I think that Direct Injection has wrecked the ICE.

[@evanfinch4987]

this is an extemely weird snd highly communist comment

[@robertbell525]

@@amazoidal you have to be kidding. EVs are horrendously complex. Simple in theory, yes. But reality is they are very sensitive computers on wheels. Anything can break and brick it. Honestly though, new ICE cars are not much better. They are ALL bad now. You have to pick the least bad of the bunch.

[@scoobsmcgee9325]

I appreciate that when you wanted to see about meshing together two parts of an engine that really shouldn't work, you got the guy with the Subaru hat on.

[@Fapsahoyx]

This channel would be hilarious on Discovery Channel. Imagine Dave slamming doors and kicking chairs 🤣

[@GroovesAndLands]

Discovery/reality is going to destroy this gem of a shop. Wait and see. Hope I'm wrong.

[@JonathanDuddy-oq6nv]

Is this true? I hope not. Will be the death of the KZbin channel

[@BigZeus]

@@GroovesAndLandssadly I think so too

[@jackamelung8705]

I believe the crack in the crank is a forging problem from day 1, the impact from the accident may have started the movement in the crank. I think the lower block alignment might be a bigger issue than just line boring. I would check all oil passages through the blocks to make sure you are not creating oil starvation. I believe the mis alignment caused the crank to show it's flaw. maybe you should check the blocks for cracks also. Nicest shop ever.. Not sure on flat plane crank? On motorcycles expecially 4 cylinders the cranks don't align like that, but I don't know so a mute point. Dave thanks for sharing your shop. Love it

[@claudiokauffmann]

Nice to see the process, like the most when Dave said "lets brainstorm together"!. Just remember me one of the shop I usually work with them, 3 brothers, all differents, but is was a pleasure to work w/them; BTW, it was in Brazil. Best Regards from Buenos Aires, Argentina.

[@AwesomeLife-h6p]

Ebay 6 grand used good engines, buy one, rebuild it. Call it a day

[@steveww07]

not 2k mile engines.

[@ghostwrench2292]

@@steveww07 at this point, the low miles don't matter. That engine is mismatched disaster. Seems less risky and less labor intensive to buy a used M156 and rebuld that.

[@nathan40307]

Dealers wouldn't go into this engine because Mercedes dealers fix things the right way. Period. Only way to fix this is to replace the motor. May be 60 grand but that is the only way to fix it right. Anything else is a cross your fingers and hope for the best kind of thing. Did you warranty this fix? Didn't think so. Brand new motor comes with a warranty.

[@johnsmith-dx1rf]

Glad someone else sees the folly in this.

[@jagracershoestring609]

I was entrusted with a Pre-war Mercedes record breaker engine once, in the eighties to check it over for damage. Beautiful engineering, must have cost millions in today's money to machine it. It came out of a Munich Museum. Dave would have loved that one.

[@westrotter7847]

No way. I saw where a farmer paid 70K for a motor Mercedes motor replacement in a sprayer. It was only a straight 6 shooter. Crazy stuff. Way cheaper to have replaced it with a 5.9 cummins. Sad stuff. Only Dave could tackle stuff like this.

[@jamesclark4]

Imagine being at this level and not knowing what a cross plane crank looks like

[@caddyrack]

You mean you never made a mistake calling something wrong? I made a few but corrected myself, those guys did not do it in time (time management maybe) but I'm SURE they know wayyyy more that you couch engineer. Imagine that!

[@Sarge226]

You'll be imagining being at this level for quite a while I'd reckon.

[@chiquicat1]

These engines come over boosted from factory to beat the competition power wise. Then they break 😢